Buxton

Buxton is an ancient spa town in the Peak District, England. It is in the county of Derbyshire which is classified as part of the East Midlands but it is probably more associated with the North West of England. It is the main place for the High Peak Borough, for both administrative and for retail.

Buxton is known around the world for its bottled spring water which is marketed by the Buxton Mineral Water Company (owned by Nestlé Waters UK). During the summer months, the local economy benefits from an influx of tourists who visit the surrounding Peak District region. Buxton also plays host to a number of summer festivals which draw large numbers of visitors too.

Understand

Visitor information

Visit Buxton website
53.258811-1.9143391 Buxton Visitor Centre, The Pump Room, The Crescent, ☏ +44 1298 214577, Hello@buxtoncrescenttrust.org. In an elegant Grade II listed Pump Room. (updated Aug 2023)

Get in

By train

53.261-1.9131 Buxton station is served by trains from Northern, the last station on the line from Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport; Visit Northern for timetable.

By bus

High Peak buses provides services from a number of locations including Manchester Airport, Stockport, Matlock, Derby and Macclesfield.

By car

Buxton is not close to Britain's motorway network. However, it is a crossing point of some major trunk roads, such as the A6 from Both Manchester and Matlock, the A54 from Congleton, the A537 from Macclesfield, the A53 from Stoke-on-Trent and the A515 coming in from Derby and Ashbourne. Each route is very picturesque, but be wary of the A537, as it is rated as the road with the most “persistently higher risk” in the UK (as of 2017). Since all of these routes are high-level they are frequently affected by snow and ice in winter and subject to closure.

By plane

Buxton does not have its own airport, but is easily accessible from Manchester Airport (MAN^IATA), via Skyline 199 bus or rail via Manchester (see getting there by train), and less easily East Midlands Airport (EMA^IATA).

Get around

53°15′32″N 1°54′53″W

Bus service radiate out from the Market Place in Higher Buxton.

See

53.259-1.9141 Buxton Crescent. Built for the Fifth Duke of Devonshire between 1780 and 1789. Also in the area:St Anne's Well; The Slope and Pump Room; Natural Mineral Baths; and Buxton Thermal Baths, restored as the Cavendish Arcade.
53.256838-1.9188592 Pavilion Gardens, St. John's Road, SK17 6BE, ☏ +44 1298 23114, paviliongardens@highpeak.gov.uk. Landscape garden and lakes
53.249771-1.9260013 Poole's Cavern (southwest of the town centre). Show cave. A pleasant (and free) walk through woodland from here leads to Solomon's Temple, a folly on a limestone hill with elevated views over Buxton and the surrounding area. Another interesting and little-known local curiosity lies in a small valley between Solomon's Temple and the village of Harpur Hill, where water issuing through lime-rich waste rock has created an intriguing area of white calcite deposits.
53.242657-1.9207014 Solomon's Temple. Victorian folly tower on top of a Bronze Age barrow.
53.258981-1.9158825 Stained glass barrel vault of the Cavendish Arcade, Cavendish Arcade, Buxton Baths, Terrace Road. (updated Aug 2022)

Do

53.2585-1.91671 Buxton Opera House, Water Street, SK17 6XN, ☏ +44 1298 72190, admin@boh.org.uk. There is always something going off, from stage productions to fairs. This includes the Buxton Opera Festival, running for two and a half weeks in July. The building was constructed in 1903. (updated Sep 2018)

Buy

There is a large selection of shops on the main pedestrian street.

53.259643-1.9117841 Spring Gardens, ☏ +44 1298 79320.
53.224561-1.8714172 Brierlow Bar Bookstore, Ashbourne Road (On the A515 south of Buxton.), ☏ +44 1298 71017. Stocks a good range of local-interest titles as well as a wide range of general-interest titles at bargain prices.

Eat

53.258441-1.9158941 No. 6 The Square, ☏ +44 1298 213541. tearooms
53.259567-1.9107342 The Chakkra Lounge, 50 Spring Gardens, ☏ +44 1298 938280. Cafe with an Indian twist. Plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices. (updated Aug 2023)
53.258546-1.9122733 The Herb Garden, 26 Hardwick Street (just off Terrace Road). Tu-Sa 10:00-14:30. Quiet vegetarian bistro (updated Aug 2023)

Drink

Buxton is the home of Buxton Spring Water^{[dead link]} which is sold round the world, but if you are in town make sure you get some free water from the well that is in the centre by the Royal Crescent.

53.25919-1.9152291 Buxton Tap House, The Old Court House, George St, SK17 6AY, ☏ +44 1298 214085. Brewery tap for Buxton Brewery featuring their beers and sometimes there is street food available. (updated Mar 2022)
53.259638-1.9141712 RedWillow, 1 Cavendish Circus, SK17 6AT, ☏ +44 1298 807582. Attractive bar featuring beers from Macclesfield's RedWillow brewery. (updated Mar 2022)
53.255371-1.9156263 Ale Stop, Chapel St (Higher Buxton, Close to Sainsburys). M-Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-9PM. Popular micropub near market. Real Ales & Ciders. (updated Aug 2023)
53.254155-1.9149764 Cheshire Cheese, 37-39 High Street (Higher Buxton). Beers from the Titanic brewery and a good dining option. Onsite parking. (updated Aug 2023)

Sleep

Buxton offers a wide range of accommodation, from Bed and Breakfast establishments to luxury hotels. However, during the more popular summer festivals, all accommodation within reasonable walking distance of the Opera House may be booked well in advance.

53.260823-1.9148311 The Palace Hotel, Palace Rd, SK17 6AG, ☏ +44 871 221-0253.
53.258096-1.9153572 The Old Hall Hotel, The Square, ☏ +44 1298 22841.
53.261549-1.9205923 Lee Wood Hotel (Best Western), 30 Manchester Road, ☏ +44 1298 23002. (updated Mar 2022)
53.255-1.9184 The Roseleigh, 19 Broad Walk SK17 6JR, ☏ +44 1298 24904. Stylish small B&B looking onto gardens, open Feb-Nov. No children under 6 or dogs. B&B double £100. (updated Jul 2020)
53.250344-1.9104145 Premier Inn - Buxton, 131 London Road. Popular chain hotel with free parking just outside the town centre. (updated Aug 2023)
53.220392-1.7897056 Peak District Holiday Cottage, Rockfield House, Flagg Lane, Flagg, ☏ +44 1298 85202. Two two-bedroomed holiday cottages appointed to a high standard with breathtaking views of the surrounding Peak District. £345–£630.
53.1223-1.87337 The Barn at Ivy House Farm (Peak District Cottages), Warslow (9 miles from Buxton), ☏ +44 1298 687006. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. Luxury Peak District cottage sleeping 6 in three bedrooms with three bathrooms. Contemporary style open plan barn on a quiet no-through road with walks from the door. from £300.
53.1929-1.84768 Wheeldon Trees Farm (Peak District Cottages), Earl Sterndale (5 miles from Buxton), ☏ +44 1298 83219. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 10AM. 8 4-star holiday cottages near Buxton, Bakewell in Derbyshire Peak District sleeping up to 28. Dog, pet, children, family, group friendly from £195.
53.133-1.7749 Biggin Hall, Biggin-by-Hartington SK17 0DH (Off A515), ☏ +44 1298 84451. Welcoming hotel in 17th-century manor house, good cooking. No children under 12. B&B double £120. (updated Jul 2020)

Connect

As of March 2024, Buxton and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Three, and 5G from Vodafone.

Go next

Routes through Buxton

Manchester ← Whaley Bridge ←	N E	→ Bakewell → Matlock
END ←	N S	→ Leek → Stoke-on-Trent
Congleton ←	SW NE	→ merges with

This city travel guide to Buxton is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.